Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) Science Article 3
abstract
Use of crops as foraging areas by Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) breeding in mid-field marsh patches was studied in 1999. Surveys were performed on 8 marshes with about 22 breeding pairs. The area of the marshes ranged from 0.1 to 8.1 ha. The surroundings were dominated by fields of oil seed rape, winter and spring crops. Birds were observed from April to July, for 39 hours in total. Intensity of foraging was equal during season. The majority of birds foraging on crops were males (84%). Most birds were recorded over 20 meters from the marsh edge. Reed Buntings showed the strongest preferences to oil seed rape. Birds breeding in smaller marshes foraged on crops more frequent than those in bigger ones
Adrian Surmacki, Tryjanowski P., Osiejuk T.S., Kupczyk M. (Eds). Bunting studies in Europe. Bogucki Wyd. Nauk., Poznan, pp. 89-95.